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3232Lindseth Climbing Wall Reopens After First Renovations in 25 Yearshttp://cornellsun.com/2016/10/17/lindseth-climbing-wall-reopens-after-first-renovations-in-25-years/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss
http://cornellsun.com/2016/10/17/lindseth-climbing-wall-reopens-after-first-renovations-in-25-years/#respondTue, 18 Oct 2016 03:54:13 +0000http://cornellsun.com/?p=637652After several months of renovations, Cornell Outdoor Education’s Lindseth Climbing Center opened to the public on Sunday. The facility, located in Bartels Hall, was upgraded over the summer for the first time in 25 years.

Among those in attendance was President Emeritus Frank Rhodes, who presided over Cornell when Jon Lindseth ’56, the center’s namesake, funded the original climbing wall.

At the dedication ceremony, COE Lindseth Director Marc Magnus-Sharpe expressed his appreciation for all contributors to the planning and fundraising process.

“With all the energy of Cornell Outdoor Education staff and so many supporters, this really will become a center of Cornell University — yet another place where students will build community, and challenge themselves and grow,” Magnus-Sharpe said.

COE spent approximately $847,000 on the renovations, with contributions coming from alumni, staff and current students, according to Magnus-Sharpe. He said COE is grateful for the strong community support and recognized that the new center would not have been possible without the help of all its contributors.

Scott Sklar ’80, co-chair of the COE advisory board, spoke about the impact that the organization has had on him, saying COE has “changed [the] lives” of Cornellians involved with the organization.

“It’s accelerated their maturity and their growth,” he said. “It’s made them who they are.”

Sklar added that he believes the newly renovated climbing center will become a “teaching facility that will train new generations of climbers.”

Grace Livermore ’17 and Raphael Laude ’18 — two of the many students who helped coordinate the renovations — said they were excited to have “an integral part of the community” restored.

“It’s been super exciting to get this thing together because the community loves it,” Laude said. “Everybody comes in super googly eyed. It’s just thrilling.”

The climbing center, currently open to the public, is located in the Ramin Room inside Bartels and can be used every day of the week.

After 25 years of operations, Lindseth Climbing Wall, which is located in Bartels Hall, underwent renovations this summer and is scheduled to open to public next Wednesday. The dedication ceremony for the upgraded 6,200 square foot climbing facility will take place on Oct. 16 at 11 a.m in Bartels Hall.

Andrew McLaughlin, climbing programs coordinator, said he hopes that the upgrade will increase community participation and interest in rock climbing.

“We would like to provide people with an increased opportunity to continue developing their skills and, hopefully, becoming life-long climbers,” McLaughlin said.

Marc Magnus-Sharpe, director of Cornell Outdoor Education, added that the renovation will help further the main mission of COE.

“Our goal is that all of these students learn to climb so well that they then go outside and become some of the most competent, quality outdoor climbers,” Magnus said.

Magnus explained that rock climbing has expanded over the last 25 years, and facilities have been updated to a degree that the renovations hope to reach.

“It’s been 25 years since the Lindseth Wall was built,” Magnus said. “The upgrade is needed because climbing has significantly changed over two decades. We’re making sure we increase capacity for our sold-out climbing courses. We’re also making sure that we catch up to what the state of the art is now for climbing.”

The new design of the Lindseth wall will encourage different levels of climbers to participate, according to Magnus.

“The new design includes an intentional effort to provide equitable distribution of terrain for all skill levels,” Magnus said. “There will be routes to the top for beginners and experts alike.”

He also said additions such as a bouldering wall will allow more opportunities for climbing.

“Bouldering allows you to climb at a height less than 14 feet without a harness or ropes. You’re never far from the ground and you can fall into high compression foam flooring, stand up and keep bouldering,” he said. “You can come here between classes and climb without having to wait for a friend to belay you.”

Rock climber Raashed Raziuddin ’19 said he is looking forward to the new bouldering wall.

“I’m eager to climb with more of my friends who like bouldering too,” Raziuddin said. “A lot of them tend to go to Noyes because it has better bouldering, but if the bouldering at the renovated wall will be as good as the design, I’d get to rock climb with all my friends.”

The new wall will feature an increase in variation and square feet of climbable terrain, according to McLaughlin.

“Routes will be set with modular holds which will increase the variety and style of routes,” McLaughlin said. “The geometry of the wall will be more varied than it currently is and include everything from slab to vertical to severely overhanging.”

Funding for the wall has come largely from the Cornell and Ithaca communities, according to Magnus.